The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has plegded financial support for Ukrainian athletes affected by political unrest in the country.

To help Ukrainian athletes, regardless of their location and background, the IOC has established an emergency fund of $US300,000, to be used for the benefit of Ukrainian athletes, through the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, for training and competition purposes.

IOC President Thomas Bach said the IOC was closely following developments in Ukraine “with the greatest attention and growing concern”, including the situation of Ukrainian athletes, which he said had deteriorated dramatically.

“For all these reasons I repeat my appeal of Sochi [Olympic Winter Games] to all political leaders involved to enter into a summit dialogue in the Olympic spirit of mutual respect and peace,” Bach said.

The Ukraine Equestrian Federation has been affiliated to the FEI since 1993. It is among the organisation’s Regional Group II, with Yuri Chertkov its president.

Location of Ukraine (dark green) in Europe, with disputed territory in light green.

Among the best known equestrians representing Ukraine on the international scene are showjumpers Katharina Offel and Björn Nagel, and dressage rider Svetlana Kiselyova, all three of whom represented their country at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

In 1994 a team of showjumpers represented Ukraine for the first time at the World Equestrian Games in The Hague, and in 2006 finished fourth at WEG at Aachen, paving the way for the team to go to the 2008 Olympic Games.